Come Home To Love (Harlequin Signature Select)

by Joan Hohl

  Katherine's hand was given a quick squeeze before it was released. James' voice and face mirrored delight. "Wonderful, it's about time you settled down, Matt." Then, his eyes dancing, he added, "Congratulations, and I think it's proper to wish the bride much happiness, which I do."

  Katherine had murmured, "Thank you," her eyes moving to Beth's face, widening at her stricken expression. She had expected them to be surprised, which James obviously was, but this? Beth looked as if she had been physically struck. Her voice, when she spoke, held an almost shrill note and she spoke to Matt as if Katherine was not there or could not hear. "Your wife? But, Matt, we don't know her, our friends don't know her."

  Mart's eyes turned steely colored, his voice roughly clipped. "I know her. My friends know her."

  Beth's eyes fastened on the diamond solitaire on her finger and her voice hurried, uneven, declared, "But it will be a long time before a wedding can be arranged, there will be engagement parties and—"

  Mart's voice, silky smooth, cut her off. "The arrangements have been made, the wedding is this coming Saturday in Lancaster."

  Beth gasped. "This Saturday!"

  Matt ignored his sister. Turning to James he went on, "I'd like you to be my best man."

  "I'd be honored," James managed to get in before

  Beth cried, "Lancaster? Why in the world would you want to get married there?"

  Patience now obviously strained, he turned back to her and snapped. "Because, in case you've forgotten, that's where our parents are. Katherine's, too, for that matter."

  There was a short, painful silence, then James put in gently, "May I ask who will be my co-witness?"

  Matt glanced sharply at Katherine, who was suddenly very glad she'd had the common sense to call Carol that morning.

  "Carol Benington," she answered quietly.

  Before anyone could reply Clyde's low, well modulated tones announced, "Lunch is ready, Matt."

  Matt did most of the talking during lunch briefing Beth and James; and unknown to them, Katherine herself, on the arrangements he'd made. In growing wonder she learned he'd already phoned her brothers, inviting them and their families to Lancaster for the long weekend at his expense. His secretary was in the process of calling friends for the same purpose and that arrangements had been made for a small wedding luncheon in a private room at one of the bigger motels outside Lancaster.

  As they were leaving the apartment after lunch James asked flippantly, "Where are you going on your honeymoon?"

  "None of your business," Matt retorted dryly.

  Katherine had been sitting quietly subdued on the drive back to her office when Matt said suddenly, "About a honeymoon, Katherine. There isn't time just now for a lengthy trip as I'll have to be back in the office by next Thursday. I have a house in the Poconos and I was wondering if a few days in the mountains would

  do for now? Maybe we can take a few weeks late in the fall if you like

  She hadn't even considered the possibility of a wedding trip and in some contusion she answered hurriedly, 'The mountains will be fine. Matt, as I'll have some work to get back to in m own offk

  "Good I'll contact the people who take care of the place for me, let them know when to expect DS." He slanted a considering look at her, then added, "Another thing we'd better diflCUSS, Katherme, is where we're going to live.* 1

  His words jerked her out ol the bemused state she'd been in. She hadn't considered an thing past the actual wedding. SuddenU the enormit of the step she was taking crashed in on her. She still had to tell Janice and Tom and they'd both be home tomorrow. Her mind shied away from that thought uneasily

  As if he'd been able to follow her tram oi thought he asked quietly. "When do you expect sow children home?"

  "Tomorrow. Janice and Carlos are stopping over before going to Washington. Tom will probably get home some time in the late afternoon.'' Try as she would she couldn't keep the tension out of her voice.

  Til come to the apartment after dinner, by then you probably will have told them."

  The car slowed to a stop in front of her office building. Katherine nodded mutely in answer to Matt and moved to get out. His hand clasped her arm, holding her still. His voice calm, unhurried added, "I think the best idea would be to move your things to my apartment. It will be more convenient for you to get to the office. Later we can send some of your things out to the house enabling you to spend the weekends there, if you wish.

  Tom may choose any room or rooms that he likes, both at the apartment and the house, there are certainly enough of them."

  "And I?" Her voice was a soft whisper.

  His own was a low rasp. "Will share mine. You already knew that, Katherine."

  "Yes," she answered huskily. "I must go, Matt." And she had fled, both the car and him.

  It had finally been over. She had become Matt's wife. Had stood with him in that lovely old church and exchanged vows that caused only momentary twinges of guilt and doubt. Had managed to get through the following two hours of congratulations and lunch with a smile glued to her lips.

  The only real opposition Matt had met with had come from an unexpected quarter. Her young Tom. Janice had at once been delighted with the prospect of Matt for a stepfather. Carlos, always the gentleman, had offered sincere wishes for her happiness. Tom was surprisingly hostile. Matt, being Matt, let nothing stand in his way, not even Tom. When she had wavered, at Tom's resentful objections, Matt reminded her brutally that within a short time Tom would be gone from the nest, was in fact, not there very often now, and that she had to plan for her own future. She had strengthened her resolve and Tom had managed to hide his hostility behind a mask of cool politeness throughout the day.

  Finally it had been over and as they left the city limits behind, she had rested her head against the back of the seat in the rapidly cooling car with a sigh. The day was hot, the sun a merciless golden disk, scorching everything and everyone it touched. The tires hummed a dif-

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  JOAN HOHL 161

  ferent tune, as they always did in hot weather, oddly soothing ^Catherine's frayed nerves.

  "Are you going to sleep?" Matt's soft rasp had not been an intrusion but more a blending with the tire's song.

  She couldn't, somehow, resist the age-old response. "No, I'm just resting my eyes."

  His soft laughter had flowed around and over her, adding to the feeling of relaxation slowly creeping through her.

  "I haven't had the opportunity before now to tell you how lovely you look. That color suits you, deepens the color of your eyes."

  The compliment, spoken in the same soft tone, startled Katherine. Turning her head she stared at him, violet eyes full of surprise, suddenly glad about the frantic flurry of shopping she and Carol had indulged in the previous afternoon. She had finally chosen a dress in pale lilac made of silky quiana material which clung softly to her.

  "Why thank you." Her voice was deep with feeling. "You look very fetching yourself."

  A quick grin flashed at her terminology and the sense of well-being deepened in her.

  Fetching was hardly the word. He looked downright shattering. A light gray suit and pale blue raw silk shirt with which he wore a deeper blue tie blended and seemed to be reflected in his pulse-stopping eyes.

  She had lifted her head from the seat to stare at him and shifting his glance to her, still smiling, he said, "Relax, take a nap if you like, we have a long drive ahead. I'm taking a roundabout route as I want to drop off some papers at one of the Reading plants."

  She hadn't slept but had settled back quietly, allow-

  ing him to concentrate on the Saturday filled highway. She let her eyes absorb and appreciate the rolling checker-board countryside flashing by. The fields of deep green corn, buff gold wheat, the pastures with their dotted herds of cattle munching contently in the hot afternoon sun. This, she knew, was some of the best farm land in the States and housed some of the best farmers. Most of the farm buildings were painted white with green
trim and some of the barns bore the intricately painted protective hex signs. Off to her right, on a narrow road that ran parallel to the highway a short distance, she caught a glimpse of a horse-drawn black buggy the likeness of which Katherine thought was the symbol of the area. As always the sight and smell of her birthplace filled her with a warm glow of pride.

  Reading—The Outlet Capital of the World. Katherine studied the billboard sign idly as they approached the city limits, smiling as she remembered the one-day shopping spree she'd had there. She'd been exhausted but happy after a day spent trooping in and out of plain factory storerooms filled with merchandise ranging from leather goods and jewelry to swimsuits and jeans. The thought of the amount of money she'd spent that day still made her wince.

  The stop Matt had to make took less than ten minutes, then they had left the city behind, driving toward Allentown.

  As they drove close to the outskirts of Kutztown the traffic became increasingly more congested and after passing the lovely tree-shaded college buildings she saw why. Drawn across the highway, above their heads, was a large banner which read, "Kutztown Folk Festival" and underneath, the dates.

  At the intersection, instead of keeping straight on the highway, Matt followed the lines of cars turning left. Glancing around Katherine asked, "Where are you going?"

  'To buy you dinner," came the teasingly amused reply.

  He parked the car among what Katherine thought must be hundreds of others and they joined the throng converging on the festival grounds.

  Matt tilted a glance down at her. "Ever been to the festival before?"

  She shook her head. "No, although I've heard about it for years. I've somehow never found the time."

  "You'll enjoy it, I think," Matt stated firmly.

  drew out an exquisitely hand-crocheted white shawl worked in a fine lace pattern.

  "Matt, thank you," she'd whispered softly. "It's perfectly beautiful." And glancing up saw he'd been closely watching her reaction. Apparently satisfied with it, he smiled gently, "And it may prove necessary, the evenings turn cool in the mountains. Now I think we'll hunt up our dinner. Okay?"

  She'd nodded absently, carefully sliding the shawl back into the bag, but her vagueness left her as they moved with the crowd toward the food pavilions. She suddenly realized she was very hungry, as she had eaten little at the wedding lunch, and the aromas that reached them on the hot, heavy air made her mouth water.

  Luckily as they came up to the stand a teenaged couple were just leaving and Matt swiftly seated first her then himself onto the vacated stools. In unison their eyes went to the small blackboard on which the day's menu was written in chalk.

  Katherine's eyes sailed down the white lines: Sauerkraut and pork, stringbeans with ham, chicken potpie, chicken corn pie, pork chops stuffed with potato filling. Matt's voice stopped her at home-cured baked ham. "Instead of a platter how about ordering a la carte?"

  "All right." As her eyes swung from the menu they encountered a clear-skinned smiling young girl waiting to take their order. "I'll have a bowl of potato soup, an individual chicken corn pie and a glass of iced mint tea."

  "And a pon-haus sandwich?" Matt inserted, arching one eyebrow at her.

  "Yes," she said laughing. Lord she couldn't remember how many years it had been since she'd eaten a scrapple sandwich.

  "Okay." He turned to their waitress. "I'll have the same."

  The girl smiled and asked, "Dessert?"

  "Shoofly pie and coffee, what else?" He grinned. The girl returned his grin and left to get their order.

  Katherine studied the slim young form as she moved away. Her dress, very plain, was of cotton and her brown hair was drawn back onto her head covered by a thin white cap, the cap strings dangling down the back of her neck. Shifting her eyes to the crowded walkway they came to rest on a barefoot young man, his cleanshaven face proclaiming his bachelorhood. He wore a blue cotton shirt, shoulders supported dark suspenders which held up his too short, straight-legged black pants. Squarely atop his shapely head sat a flat crowned broad brimmed black hat the like of which, Katherine had always felt sure, was placed onto every male head from the time they could toddle.

  "I've always been fascinated by the Amish and Plain people," she murmured. "Their children are so beautiful with the fresh, clean faces. They seem to radiate health and well-being."

  "Yes," Matt answered. "They work hard and hang on to their lifestyle and traditions tenaciously. I'm all for progress, obviously, and yet I feel I want to cheer every time they go into battle with the authorities to hang on to that lifestyle and their individuality."

  The food was delicious. The soup hot, the buttery milk broth almost thick with its contents of pieces of potato, onion, celery and slices of hard cooked eggs. The pie steaming when the melt-in-the-mouth top crust was broken revealing large chunks of chicken in milky sweet corn. The scrapple, when Katherine bit into her sand-

  wich, was just as she liked it, fried crispy brown on the outside, creamy with just a hint of spices inside. She eyed the shoofly pie warily but managed to eat the crumby-topped cake with its moist molasses bottom to the last crumb.

  She sighed in satisfaction as they left the stand and Matt's voice again held that teasingly amused note. "Enjoy your dinner?"

  "Completely," she answered honestly; then added, "It tasted like home."

  He nodded, his expression telling her he too had experienced the sensation of certain foods, certain smells, bringing back childhood and home in a rush.

  They made their way to the car and back onto the highway, the daylight now a golden glow from the western horizon. Katherine remembered very little of the rest of that drive as she dozed off and on until Matt's quiet voice roused her. "We're here, Katherine."

  It was full dark and Katherine could see little except the narrow black-topped road directly in front of the car's headlights and then, as he turned on to it, the drive marked private. Then suddenly she could see the house, ablaze with lights from within, brightly lit outside from a bright light attached above the garage ceiling. No get-away-for-the-weekend cabin this, but a large tri-level with what looked like many windows and a broad rail fenced deck running around at least two sides.

  After Matt parked the car and removed their cases from the trunk, she followed him to a door in the rear of the garage which led to a short flight of steps. At the top two doors faced each other across a wide landing and Katherine assumed, correctly, that the one on the right opened in to the apartment she'd noticed above the garage.

  He held the other door for her then preceded her through a laundry room and into the brightly lit modern kitchen. At the far end of the kitchen was a dining alcove, the table placed under a large picture window, seemingly painted black so complete was the darkness outside. Where the kitchen area ended and the dining space began was a door in the wall to the left that led onto the wide deck. Across from the door was an archway, through which Matt led her into the living room.

  He placed the cases on the floor then stood beside her silently while she took in the room. The ceiling was open-beamed as were the walls, the plaster gleaming white between the beams. The wall on her left, which she was later to learn was the front of the house, appeared to consist mainly of two wide sliding glass doors that opened onto the deck. Across the room and built into the wall was a huge stone fireplace flanking which were two large windows. At the back wall was an open bar with four bar stools, the leather-upholstered seats set into large barrels. On her right, open stairs, seeming to float in space, curved to the floor above and Katherine stood, eyes wide, trying to determine what supported it when Mart's laughing voice broke her thoughts. "I'll never tell. Do you like it?"

  "It's fantastic," she breathed softly. In fact she thought the entire room fantastic. There was not a lamp or lighting fixture in sight yet the room seemed to glow in a soft, subdued light. The furniture consisted of several large chairs, to accommodate Matt's big frame she was sure, every one covered in a dark brown cushiony
pigskin. All had square matching ottomans and, in front of the fireplace, a long matching sofa. The highly polished hardwood floor was dotted with bright orange

  scatter rugs, the color reflected in the burlap weave drapes at the window and the toss pillows on the sofa and chairs. The occasional tables were hand-made of dark walnut wood.

  "I love it," Katherine whispered finally.

  "I'm glad. I do, too," Matt answered in kind. Then, as he picked up the cases and started up the stairs, added briskly, "I imagine you're as ready for a shower as I am. Come along and I'll show you where to find one."

  On the wide wrought-iron railed landing he stopped in front of a door that appeared to lead into the only room on that level. He opened the door, touched a switch and stepped aside to allow her to enter first.

  The master bedroom; except for the connecting bath it was the only room on that floor. Almost as large as the living room, the ceiling was also open-beamed, the lighting indirect. The walls were paneled in white birch, a smaller fireplace built into the wall directly above the one in the living room. The floor was covered in a tawny colored carpet of fake fur. The spread which covered the large bed was in the same furry material, as was the one chair in the room, but in a darker gold color. The double dresser and high chest of drawers were of dark walnut. The wall facing the front of the house was covered by walnut louvered folding doors which, when Matt opened them, revealed sliding glass panels like the ones in the living room that led onto a small railed deck. Katherine stepped out onto the deck but could see very little for the darkness.

  She came inside to follow Matt the length of the room to the far wall which at first glance had appeared solid. As she drew closer Katherine saw the breaks in the paneling just as Matt slid one panel open. "You can hang your things in here."

  The closets were deep and ran almost the entire length of the wall, the panels sliding behind each other at whatever spot one wished to open. The last panel opened into the bathroom of white and dark brown except for the tawny rug which continued through the bedroom.